Old superstitions have long been forgotten. I have included a selection, noted in no particular order, that I have collected. They offer a view into the past of what people in Wales once believed.

If a bat or a bird flew into the home, it was a sign of death. If a crow caws on the roof of a cottage belonging to an ill person, it meant they would die. If a robin cried in a garden, great misfortune would follow.The robin acquired its redbreast when it went to feed Christ on the day of the crucifixion and was covered by blood from his wounds.

When bees swarm, should they settle on dead matter, it will mean a death in the family.If bees swarm or leave their hive unexpectedly, it means something has affected them. On every occassion, news of the family should be told to them. Bees should not swarm on anyone's property if their owner does not claim them.

King Arthur, after his death, was later reborn as a raven. The appearance of a raven also foretells a death. Arthur was taken to Avalon on a glass ship called Prydwen that was black. The raven mocked this spectacle and, as the bird's original colour was white; Mabon changed it to black for being disrespectful to Arthur.

To bring a piece of elder tree into a home was considered bad luck. That Judas was hung from the tree meant its evil reputation. It is unlucky to bring hawthorn indoors. Primroses, lillies, daffodils, and snowdrops were never brought into the house because of their use as funeral flowers.

Good fortune will belong to the person who is given May blossom on May Day. A new purse should have money in it to bring good luck to the owner. Any coin found on the road was spat upon so no ill fortune would come to the recipient.

If a dog's stomach rumbles, it is a sign of inclement weather. Cows lying down in a field signify the same. Frogs croaking continuously is a sign of worsening  weather. A cat sitting with its back to the fire is a sign of certain frost. The same applies if a cat washes behind its ear. A rhyme my father remembered being told to him by his mother was: "Cockerel crowing, going to bed. In the morning, you will have a wet head.

If you wash on Good Friday, the water will turn to blood. My father remembered his mother making bread on Good Friday. She told him this brought good luck to the home and protected their house against lightning. When the clock strikes twelve of the clock on Christmas Eve, farm animals will stand and bow towards the east. Their tears are for the joy of the birth of Jesus.